Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Of pecans and pet and other things

My employer gives each of us a personal day and birthday off each year, and it's a "use or lose" condition. Every year as my birthday approaches, I remember I have two days that need to be used. Offices are closed Thanksgiving and the Friday after, so with the addition of one vacation day, I have this whole week off. Today is Tuesday, and it's difficult for me to remember that. Saturday I got up early (too early for me!) and donated items to a charity yard sale. The rest of that day was most uneventful. Sunday was very productive, accomplishing many household chores. Yesterday was relaxing with a nice mix of puttering in the garden, surfing the net, power walk on the beach and shopping for pie-making stuff. ( We'll have thanksgiving dinner at my brother's house, but I'm the pie baker - 2 pumpkin, 2 apple, 1 pecan and 1 chocolate pecan.) Last night I made frosted pecans and orange glazed pecans.

A note about pecans. First, do you say, "PEE-cans" or "peh-CONS"? All my years in the south, I say PEEcan. My daughter dated a young man who grew up in south Georgia and his folks had a pecan farm. He says "peh-CONS". After his last visit to GA, he brought back several gallon-size bags of pecans, semi-shelled. I popped them in the freezer, for such a time as this to enjoy baking with them.

Today is off to a lazy start. The weather is to die for gorgeous. My brother gets in late this evening driving from NY. My daughter gets home from Tampa this evening, break from school. Part of me wants to shop for an outfit to wear on Thursday - in the mood for something new to wear. That is most unusual for me, as I am not a clothes-shopper... not a go-in-a-store-and-try-on-clothes shopper. I shop via www. click move to shopping cart and check out. I sit here looking out at the brazilian pepper trees with their bright red berries, and I want to buy wreath frames to make holiday decorations. I am also sitting here looking at the paleness of my skin - when was the last time this body saw any real sunshine?!!

And then there's Gracie.

Y'know I just love her, but she's a bother. She's really just a baby at four months old. Constant. even though she has her own bed, she prefers mine. And not just my bed, but she has to be RIGHT ON TOP OF ME. We're still working on the housebreaking... with minor success. She sort of gets it - sometimes. She is a very good rider in the car, which is surprising. When I went grocery shopping yesterday, I took her with me and she sat quietly. I of course was nervous that the teething puppy would like the BRAND NEW LEATHER SEATS of my brand new Honda CR-V. But she behaved, thank goodness! She is quite willfull, I'll give her that. I've raised and trained several dogs in my lifetime, never one with such a strong will as this little girl. This is my first Weimaraner - maybe it's the German in her...

One thing is for certain, nothing is getting done with me sitting here, so it's off to get the day underway! Enjoy yours!

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